PLP Question Allegations Of Tourism Job Cuts
[Updated] Shadow Minister of Tourism Wayne Furbert said “credible allegations of imminent job cuts within the Ministry of Tourism are disturbing” and called on the Minister to “tell the people the truth about the future of Bermudian jobs within his Ministry.”
Unofficial reports indicate that staff members at the Bermuda Department of Tourism may have been told there will be changes as the Tourism Authority coming into effect.
The implementation of a Tourism Authority was a campaign promise made by the One Bermuda Alliance in the 2012 General Election, and veteran hotelier David Dodwell has been named as the Chairman.
Mr Furbert said, “Since taking office, the OBA have proven that their promises mean nothing and that the values of openness, honesty and transparency that they claimed to have before the election, no longer apply to them.
“Credible allegations of imminent job cuts within the Ministry of Tourism are disturbing, especially in light of the OBA’s repeated promise not to cut civil servant jobs. Many Bermudians took the OBA at their word and voted for jobs. Now they may find their friends, neighbours or even themselves out of a job.
“The Tourism Department is comprised of talented, capable Bermudians who, with the few tools they have, are fighting to bring back the glory days of tourism. Now, the halls of tourism ring with whispers of OBA deceit, OBA broken promises and OBA lack of compassion towards Bermudians.
“The OBA’s habit of incompetence, acting in secrecy, cover-up, lying when caught and breaking promises must stop. We call on the Minister of Tourism to do the right thing and tell the people the truth about the future of Bermudian jobs within his Ministry”.
Update 2.18pm: The Tourism Ministry is expected to issue an official statement later today, however unofficial reports continue to indicate that the staff were told that the Department, as is, will not continue to exist and staff will have to re-apply for jobs.
Update 4.54pm: Government issued a statement today saying that the Bermuda Department of Tourism [BDOT] will be dissolved, all the staff will have to reapply for positions, and the Tourism Authority will come into effect which will “operate as a private sector entity and will define new positions and the compensation and benefits structure.” Read the full statement here.
allegations, rumours, rumours, allegations, fear mongering, rumours
Yawn
Isn’t that the same thing the OBA done when they were the opposition…
Why can’t the most experienced employees of the Tourism Dept. go on working for David Dodwell’s Tourism Authority? Or will Mr. dodwell be using his staff at his present hotels to perform the same duties who have way less experience?
Will the taxpayer be kept abreast of the on goings of this experiment and its cost as it doesn’t seem to promise anything in return for its millions of dollars in payouts?
It’s probably true, but the PLP should ask themselves who it was that put us into this mess. Yes, there’s a recession (though according to Paula Cox the recession ended years ago LOL), but the PLP’s overspending and incompetence when it came to handling any issue without a scandal made it so much worse. Do we remember the tourism contracts handed out by the PLP? Do we remember the trips to India, Dubai, etc? What did the average Bermudian get from all that except more debt? Sorry Wayne, sorry PLP but the people will not forget.
PLP did not put us in any bad position, that is the excuse the OBA will continue to use to do what they are now doing. Rather than except the full responsibility for their decisions and lies of not holding true to their election promises. TRUTH.
The OBA goal is to privatization the various government departments, which means no jobs. The OBA is reaching their goal of 2000 LESS JOBS, rather than creations of JOBS. The public was hood-winkle into voting for them, and now see the lies behind their steps.
Folks WAKE UP WATCH THIS GOVERNMENT. They will continue to do away with JOBS. IT is all a big LIE by the OBA. DO not fall for their lies and game of blame it on the PLP, they are at fault here and making some bad decisions.
The OBA are always seeking ways not to accept the full responsibility for the decisions they make as a government. More so not to hold true to their Election Promises. They have fooled many folks, but many are also waking up to their twist of what they actually will do.
WAKE UP FOLKS
MORE JOBS TO GO UNDER THIS OBA GOVT. Conservative governments do not like large governments, and they will CUT CUT CUT, and the poor average man will suffer, suffer suffer.
WHom will benefit the most out of this deal: The OBA “FRiendS AND FAMILY”. Folks will profit with the movement of privatization, while a huge sector of our population will suffer more. Bermuda, we have gone back at by 50 years under this current government.
Are you saying a Government worker does not have the ability to work in the Private sector? 80% of all Government revenue goes to paying Civil Service wages. We have to borrow nearly half a billion dollars every year to pay civil service wages and there is no end in sight. If we continue down this road of over employment of the civil service then our debt ratio with skyrocket further than it did under the PLP government. Which means financial downgrade, loss of investor confidence, business moves off Island, hotels are not built and the entire country begins to crumble. In a nut shell, if we continue down this road Bermuda will be rife with poverty and suffering.
The PLP did not have a clue how to run the economy or the government and now we pay the price, now the community will pay the price.
Even though our two political parties may be having a tit for tat moment,why be stupid enough to engage in it.look at the facts of the announcement government has made, come the next 8 weeks people who work in the tourism department will no longer be there.
Then we see that the O.B.A has promised that these employees will be guaranteed jobs in another division of government, I have a problem with that because if they can easily swap departments and jobs are so readily available for them or position being created for them, is this government trying to save face or their backsides.
While there is almost 4000 out of work and another 3000 to 5000 to become unemployed over the next 24 months, what the hell are we suppose to think.so who gets awarded the tourism authority, does it get put out for tender, or will they do that also just to follow protocol,but they have already hand pick the individual that is already a part of their camp.
yes you all know who will be awarded, they have been hinting at it for a while,so don’t be naive. O.B. if you make jobs available so quick then show us how come you are not helping to do it across the board, if you look around you and even as high as the international sector, when they down size or discontinue a department people get the pink slip and are let go, I do not want to see anyone loose their job, but this is a inside joke and the joker’s have played their hand, because in reality government will either have to make more drastic cuts in the near future or make the tax payers pay more to recover for decisions they have and are making.
NO job is guaranteed, point the reference…..
I’m curious
Right…but if you work in Goverment it’s implied, I think it would be very unlikely given the last agreement between Goverment and the unions lay offs are coming
“The PLP’s habit of incompetence, acting in secrecy, cover-up, lying when caught and breaking promises must stop
Not a PLP habit…it’s the game of politicking!!! Plain and simple!
Something has to change at Tourism. Err, and you can’t have change without change. It’s that simple.
exactly!
More PLP fallout!
Then why didn’t it happen under PLP???
Wayne…come better than that please. The voters are very, very savvy these days and you would need to step up to the plate rather than your feer mongering and politricking. Remember the UBP used to do this crap and it didn’t work for them! If civil servants do start losing their jobs it is just a sign of the times and it has already been happening to the private sector for the last few years.
If people do start loosing their jobs then it’s not scare mongering now is it?
@Time Shall Tell: Were you been livin’…people been losin’ jobs for years now in the private sector. Do you think people in the public sector should have a God given right to be employed and paid for by taxpayers that are struggling with some only having one income coming in?
Stick to the topic at hand, I was referring to you saying the potential of people loosing jobs over this was all scare mongering. It wouldn’t be scare mongering if people actually did start loosing jobs now would it (can’t believe I had to break the basics down even further).
Savy these days.
Means that the old Racist trick of fear mongering will not work?
Wayne,Please we have enough of your crap….. it is time for you to quit politics….your opinions are are no longer credible .
Don’t look now Webster, looks like there was credibility in his position after all…
Seems you were wrong…again (i.e. no job losses;)
Did he honestly say the word incompetence?
This coming from a man whose Party had four consecutive qualified audits from the AG and not to mention the numerous breaches of financial instructions highlighted by the same watchdog.
“The Tourism Department is comprised of talented, capable Bermudians who, with the few tools they have, are fighting to bring back the glory days of tourism.
Also, this is coming from a Party who hired an individual as one of the top dogs of tourism who stated when she got hired that she didn’t know anything about Bermuda or where exactly we are located on the map. The same Party that fired a whole DoT team and replaced them with the US bases Sales Focus company, who in turn were fired not so long after for displaying their incompetence. Or shall we talk about Global Hue instead?
Lastly, Mr. Furbert as you were, not too long ago, urging the current Government to stick with your initiated “Much More” tourism campaign are you man enough to concede that it is a complete failure and blatant incompetence as indicated the Q2 2012 statistics?
Government will be run like a Corporation entity people. You must prepare yourselves. They will cut, cut, cut. They will try to become more efficient and will PAY for those efficiencies once the dust settles. Those still in government will receive higher wages eventually like that of the private sector. But although the current OBA are cutting they are not providing alternatives or solutions for those that do not make the proverbial cut. This will lead to their downfall.
Running it like a welfare and employment system has proven to be a failed experiment just about everywhere…eventually you simply run out of other people’s money to spend…
Finally,someone who understands how the world works.
You ppl sound real stupid!
SAGE told govenment they they have to cut government workers….when they said that that meant to snip a little here and there and here and there….instead they too4.7% from everyone….Good MOVE! Cuase some of you would have been jobless.
Now that they are trying to put a Tourism Authority in place, these people can still apply and as stated they will be employed in other parts of government.
However, since PLP are on scare tactics……I won’t be too scared to go back to the poles in 3 years from now and vote back the OBA. That’s how scared i am. Scared that the PLP will just FINISH running this country to the ground.
Shut Up.
Well now, the PLP gravy train is running off its tracks. Those secure Government jobs are not so secure anymore. Trimming the fat has to be done. There must be many in Government offices this afternoon looking around wondering who is not going to be there much longer.
The good people don’t have much to worry about. They will be kept on. The paper shufflers, the people who make sure that they use all of their sick days & every other excuse for a day off, the people who are last to arrive in the morning & first out the door in the afternoon had better take a serious look at themselves.
How much does Bermuda spend per visitor at the DOT compared to our competitors? Safe to bet that we spend a huge amount more. We need a reality check & the OBA is providing.
Go ahead fuel the fire, remember each of those people are also voters….
1) I don’t recall the Tourism Authority being passed by the Ministers in the House and approved by the Senate.
2) Why did the Minister of Tourism make this annoucement to the staff when it has not been brought before the members of the House for approval.
3) Had the BPSU been advised and if so can they do this under the collective bargaining agreement between the BPSU and Government
4) Not sure what the Employment Act says but can they make you redundant and tell you to reapply for your position?
What other Government Department is next – Post Office? Outsourced to IBC – makes you wonder!
This is nothing new as something very similar happened before. Back in the late 1990s/early 2000s BDA Monetary Authority was a Govt Dept as well. They too “broke away” from Govt and privitized – And NOT all staff were guaranteered their jobs either and some were transferred to other Govt Depts. But look 10+ years later BMA is managing well and have lots of employees.
PLP just lay the he’ll down an realize they are cleaning up your mess
explain please, or is that just a stereotype that you are trying to reinforce???
It’s just a generic stereotypical run to catch phrase thrown around lately used very immaturely.
So you believe the PLP left the island in sterling condition when they were voted out then?
There are ALOT of allegations against the PLP! But i wont go there Wayne! BTW Wayne ALL governments self-destruct just ask the plp, and UBP they know all a bout it!
Hmmm…this all sounds vaguely familiar. Didn’t something like this happen a couple of months ago, ah yes here it is…
http://bernews.com/2013/04/plp-asks-government-about-job-cut-allegations/
Just curious is there still a PLP Central Committee, or is strategy just being hashed out by individual ministers based on what they hear on the talkshows.
Open a liquor store…….
Yah all gonna need a double.
OBA supporters – Please remember that OBA won the election by the St Georges voters by a mere 5 FIVE votes.
Don’t get cocky! We can and will change that if necessary.
Everyone remembers that only because it was the last constituency to post results.
36, 17 and 13 could have easily gone the OBA’s way, making it 22-14 to the OBA. 2, 4 and 27 could have just as easily gone to the PLP, making it 20-16 to the PLP.
It was a close one all around. With it being likely that Kim Swan won’t receive the same share of the vote in the next election (should he even decide to run) you can’t point at #2 as the OBA’s weak spot.
PLP lost due to their own arrogance and cockiness based on their supports either not voting or voting OBA. And if the OBA gets serious about their platform promise on recalling MP’s and decided to do so with Nandi, the PLP will win the seat in St Georges. I and many others like me, regret putting our votes in OBA as NOTHING – DO YOU HEAR ME – NOTHING has happened in St Georges and NO ONE – HEAR ME – NO ONE has seen or heard from Nandi SINCE THE ELECTION!!!
We are TIRED!!!!
We are STRUGGLING!!!
And so are many many more LIKE US who looked for hope and found we brought swamp land in Florida!!!
Nothing has happened in St. Georges in teh first 8 months of teh OBA’s reign and you want them gone?
So you want to vote back in the Party that oversaw the systematic destruction of the Old Town and did nothing in 14 years to ensure its prosperity?
Very strange “logic.”
Do you listen to yourself before you type?
You know what, you are completely missing the point. We had three people sit in our homes and swear that they had Bermuda and St. Georges best interest at heart BEFORE December 18 2012. We knew that Dame Jennifer was doing squat for St Georges and we knew the Kim was breaking his back for St Georges. We also knew that Kim couldn’t get anything past PLP in the house under the UBP so he sure as hell wasn’t going to be able to get anything done as an independent MP.
So we put our eggs in Nandi’s basket under the HOPE of the OBA.
And since she won her seat, we haven’t heard a peep from her with regards to ANYTHING HAPPENING, PROPOSED TO HAPPEN, GOING TO HAPPEN, HOPING TO HAPPEN, DREAMING OF HAPPENING for St Georges.
So from where I am sitting NO ONE OTHER THAN KIM SWAN GIVE A FLYING F*** ABOUT ST GEORGES!!!
And that is just ONE of the BS promises that I HOPED AND BELIEVED IN that I now see shot to hell.
So then voting for Kim Swan would be the “logical” result given your issues. Right?
AND TYPING IN CAPS DOESN’T MAKE YOUR POINT MORE VALID…
Ain’t about teams, it’s about what is best for Bermuda….guess what it is definately not the PLP…will that change??? the PLP have to change, as what they are almost destroyed this country.
So we were sold in December 2012…
So we are realizing was election bs at its best….
At least I had a job and my family was eating last year this time!
Are you serious??? You are SERIOUSLY delusional!! Your party LEADER and reigning PREMIER lost her seat to a WHITE GUY!!!!…and all you think about is 5 votes in St. George’s???? If Swanny wasn’t there it wouldn’t have even been close you m****!! Your party’s greatest legacy is having the first and only SITTING PREMIER being voted out of office by a jury of their peers!!!! In reality the OBA’s victory was nothing short of a LANDSLIDE!!!
STFU already!!!
This is how dumb you are…I VOTED OBA!!!
I don’t see ANYTHING that I VOTED FOR!!!
I AM TIRED!!!
My kids CAN’T FIND WORK!
I CAN’T FIND WORK!
AND EVERY DAMN WEEK PRICES RISE AND MORE JOBS FOLD!!
Did I expect a miracle – NO JUST HOPE!!!
So far I am FAR WORSE than I was LAST YEAR THIS TIME!!!
So IAT – YOU SHUT THE **** ^P!
So you would vote for the Party that placed you in the predicament that you find yourself in now?
Very intelligent indeed.
So please explain what the OBA should be doing for you that the PLP would have done if they were still in power?
Did prices decrease under the PLP? No actually they became more expensive which can be directly attributed to the actions of the PLP. Those being riasing the payroll tax in the middle of a recession. And the second being the increase of the foreign currency purchase tax in 2010 which makes everything in BDA more expensive as we import everything.
PS: You never voted OBA. You are no different than the guys on here who profess that they used to vote PLP.
I would vote for Santa Clause if I was GUARANTEED that St Georges would be a PRIORITY and not just an ELECTION ROULETTE used to gain votes in the East!
NO ONE IN OBA CARE ABOUT US!
At least Kim and Renee are STILL VISIBLE AND TRYING!
What should the OBA be doing for us in St Georges? THEIR JOB! Have you seen the golf course, etc? They were the first ones complaining about the condition of the area that tourists have to cross every damn day on their way to the beaches. IT IS WORSE NOW THAN EVER!
LETS START WITH CUTTING THE DAMN GRASS!!
Did the prices go down? NO but I HAD A DAMN JOB AND WAS ABLE TO BUY SOMETHING!!!
As I already stated, did I expect a miracle – NO! Just hope! The only “hope” I have now is that I will “hopefully” make enough from my side hustles to be able to pay my rent on Monday!!!
PS – Just HOW and WHEN to you plan on addressing the Nandi Outerbridge situation?
You fail to realise “Lest We Forget”. The OBA didnt win St Georges by 5 votes. The PLP lost it. The voters were sick and tired of what the PLP was offering. Although the OBA are trying and are not too good at it, do you think that the same voters will go back to what they couldn’t trust?
Dont get too cocky thinking that the next election will be as simple as what you describe. Its only been 8 months. If there is the slightest improvement in the economy 3 yrs from now, i doubt the PLP will get bk in.
And for the record, i voted PLP.
As for Nandi, no comment. Not the time nor the place to discuss.
My point exactly!!! I WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT VOTED FOR OBA – I AM NOW ONE OF THOSE THAT REGRET IT!!!
So my answer is YES! We will vote for Renee if an election was called tomorrow!!!
She fights for St Georges.
Do you not get it – we voted for HOPE! We got NOTHING!
I will, however, agree with you on that. The arrest of an MP can’t be ignored by the party.
I was informed that they will not address it because if they recall Nandi they know they will lose the seat to Renee.
I have a bright idea. Lets just continue with the same failed tourism tactics and structure that has overseen the demise pf umpteen hospitality properties and related businesses as well as the numerous jobs lost in the once vibrant industry.
The current setup has been in play for too many decades now, with all Governments continuing with the same failed hopes and dreams. Our heyday in the tourism game is long gone and as such we need to adapt.
But unfortunately many in this island don’t like change, especially when it is not their Party doing the changing, and for some reason will advocate that the same failed approaches are used over and over again.
BIAW
Tourism has been in deep and steady decline for over twenty years – from a peak of 11,000 rooms and 500,000 air arrivals to not even a third of thise figures today. This despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the Department of Tourism over the period – clearly te Department has failed in its mission. The Government is absolutely right to do away with this embarrassment and get with the 21st Century. As for Furbert, well who cares?
A bold and courageous move. One that has needed to be done for
at least a decade. No one was ever held accountable for the
abysmal tourism figures, the failed promotions, Global Hue, NY sales
dismissals, Faith Based Tourism, Beyonce, etc. etc. but all the while
BDOT office staff grew and grew, fatter and fatter. Move forward
now with the Tourism Authority and get tourism OUT of politics.
Does that apply to the Minister also? Would save us a nice chunk .
Just saw my neighbor put his boat engine in his huge w&e truck .who pays for that?
govt needs to monitor vehicle use. I drive to work and use my job trans as needed. Why r these people allowed to take vehicles home?
Did you call the Minister of W&Es office & give details? If the answer is NO, you are part of the problem.
Not sure if I’m either reading the article wrong, or the negative comments being made are justified. From my interpretation, the Tourism Department is being replaced by a Tourism Authority. This was talk on for some time and is now coming to light. It was also highlighted of the differences. I have a question on how the announcement can be made before passing through the House; but let’s get back to that.
Point One- As we know this has been coming for some time. Why would you move the same people to the new tourism authority? Would that not be just really renaming a Government department that has been in need of an overhaul? I am not for any form of job losses so stick with me on this one.
Point Two- Employees are not losing their job but are being relocated to other departments. Hold that thought. Employees also are being offered voluntary redundancy. So if they want to leave the Civil Service and have been looking at other options, they can now do it with a package.
Point Three- The current employees have the option to apply for the newly formed Department; so if you have been doing a good enough job, you have a good chance of being moved back into Tourism if that is you preferred field. Yes your past job history will come to light be it GOOD or BAD.
O.K. with that said and with a non-biased view as I am neither OBA/PLP/UBP or KKK; “What the hells the problem other than making the announcement before it has been passed via the House”.
Again; am I missing something? I see a newly promised Tourism direction coming to light, and I see NO job losses. In fact, if the current staff are moved to other departments as stated and decide not to apply for the new Tourism Authority post, or are not successful; does that not mean new job opportunities for others?
If this is correct, Mr. Furbert needs to go lay down!!!!
People:
Please read the information before you make statements that are incorrect and stupid. This is the correct info:
“Tourism employees were told they’d have the chance to apply for a job with the Island’s new Tourism Authority, when it is up-and-running, though they wouldn’t be guaranteed a position there. It is believed staff will also be given the option of voluntary redundancy.”
THE STAFF WILL NOT JUST SIMPLY BE MOVED INTO ANOTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT, as most have suggested on this and other blogs. They will be required to apply and have been told that some WILL NOT BE PLACED.
This is the current government’s plan to get rid of people in the Tourism Department – thinking that the union and the country will not pay attention to it – - BERMUDA, WAKE UP! You are under attack – plain and simple. The question is – will you allow or will you fight?
Da Truth
FIRE them all..everyone of them!..
Some sit on their a$*** all day texting and gassing to each other and demand a fsat check every week..pathetic and useless.
PRIVATISE it.
No point in singing W “the best is yet to come “but another moonwalk will make us roar boy!
What happens when they are all let go? There are no jobs available, so they will either starve or have to seek financial assistance from the government.
In other words we simply send home the people doing some work to sit on their butts and get paid for it anyway.
Great idea… not!!
How about keeping them employed until more jobs are available in the private sector, but pay them based on their performance instead of some random salary.. so they are paid for the work they actually do!
That seems the only way not to increase our financial burden and keep the government resources costs as efficient as possible while reducing our debt levels.
I see a few believers in The Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause & the Easter Bunny are out. A Government job is no longer an alternative to welfare. Contrary to PLP beliefs, money does not fall from the sky in limitless quantities.
The O.B.A. are taking steps to fulfill yet another election promise.
It is no surprise that the PLPbiu are up-in-arms about this development and will twist and b@st@rdize everything concerning this. Their aim is not to fit the problems they created…. but to stop and convince others that they were the only ones who could possible fix them….although they failed to do it when they were the government….14 years. More Bermudians unemployed, underemployed, unable to pay their BELCO bills, losing their homes, etc. Does one recall just how “WONDERFUL” things were during the last five years?
If things were so “wonderful”, why were the O.B.A. elected….they shouldn’t have stood a chance if things were so “perfect”?
Mr Furbert’s information is accurate.
yup, accurately incorrect LOLOLOLLLLLLL
Thank you PLP for putting us in this mess to which you created, so now everybody is crying and its all the OBA fault?? Government worldwide have been shutting down depts., making redundancies etc. Do you honestly think that Bermuda would escape this?? Look at the greed and hiring perhaps unnecessary consultants or govt employees, that the PLP has done for the past 14 years and yet not many stood for what is right. No, Bermuda we have ourselves to blame for your own gains and selfishness. You may not like it but its the truth. So now its happening here. Greed begets more greed and it only empowers the very few and not all.
PLP did not put us in any bad position, that is the excuse the OBA will continue to use to do what they are now doing. Rather than except the full responsibility for their decisions and lies of not holding true to their election promises. TRUTH.
The OBA goal is to privatization the various government departments, which means no jobs. The OBA is reaching their goal of 2000 LESS JOBS, rather than creations of JOBS. The public was hood-winkle into voting for them, and now see the lies behind their steps.
Folks WAKE UP WATCH THIS GOVERNMENT. They will continue to do away with JOBS. IT is all a big LIE by the OBA. DO not fall for their lies and game of blame it on the PLP, they are at fault here and making some bad decisions.
Cry me a river @ weedy. yur eyes are so blood-shut, you can’t read and comprehend what is really going on here.
@ weedy
We are paying close attention to the oba/ubp. People are awake and ready to roar with our votes at the next general election.
Weedy you are a wise individual and we value the information that you bring forth.
BDOT is zero value for money.
All work is outsourced to consulting firms in New York, etc.
Why would you need such a large staff for “coordinating” things?
Even 5 years back, it was apparent that BDOT was way overstaffed and it should really have been a 2 or 3 member operation.